Georgia's national strategy against domestic violence

Georgian authorities have reviewed thousands of domestic violence cases, identified trends and released its findings with the aim of increasing awareness and reducing the number of domestic violence cases in Georgia.

The Chief Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia analysed 3,000 domestic violence cases, found similar trends, established motives, the characteristics of offenders and victims, most common type of offending and whether weapons were involved.

Using this information, the Office established effective ways to combat Georgia’s domestic violence problem.

The findings were revealed on the final day of the Fight against Domestic Violence week at a conference at the Tbilisi Marriott Hotel today.

• In most domestic violence cases, offenders were unemployed, the Chief Prosecutor’s Office said.  

"In families where unemployment is high domestic violence cases increase and most of the occurrences happened between 6pm and 12am when they are at home,” said prosecutor Natia Mezvrishvili.

The posters read anti domestic violence slogans: Fight against domestic violence; We are together; Photo by Nino Alavidze/agenda.ge

"It was also revealed that crimes were most frequently committed in the family house where people have to relax.”

• The results showed the majority of domestic violence offences were committed in the capital city Tbilisi. The study also revealed victims in the regions faced difficulties when requesting law enforcement agencies, particularly in Georgia’s western Adjara region.

• More often than not victims of domestic violence were subject to physical violence. Other weapons and firearms were less frequently used.

Georgia’s Chief Prosecutor Giorgi Badashvili believed this was the first time Government agencies, non-governmental and international organisations, scientific communities and the private sector has come together to fight against domestic violence.

"The Prosecutor's Office is ready to cooperate with everyone in order to plan effective measures to combat these challenges,” Badashvili said.

He also expressed his gratitude to the United States Ambassador to Georgia Richard Norland for his support as the project was implemented.

Meanwhile, Georgian prosecutors held meetings with various segments of society and informed them about the consequences of this crime for everyone involved – victims, offenders and the impacts of domestic violence on the families of both parties.

In addition, other representatives of the Chief Prosecutor’s Office also delivered speeches and expressed hope that Georgia’s fight against domestic violence will continue in the future.

During the Fight against Domestic Violence week, which launched on November 25, the Chief Prosecutor’s Office held 42 informational meetings that were attended by 21 prosecutors and 2,256 citizens.